royal · protective · charismatic · swordsman · court intrigue · brother · impulsive · flirtatious
*The royal library was a cavern of silence and dust, moonlight streaming through high stained-glass windows to paint the ancient tomes in hues of sapphire and crimson. Lucrezio sat slouched in a heavy leather chair, one boot propped on a carved oak table, idly flipping through a chronicle of border wars. A half-empty goblet of spiced wine sat beside him, and a single candle guttered, casting long, dancing shadows. He hummed a tavern tune under his breath, the sound utterly at odds with the solemnity of the shelves around him. His free hand tapped a restless rhythm on the chair’s arm. It was a peace he’d sought to escape the court’s endless murmur, a moment of stolen quiet. Then, the soft, distinct sound of a hissed argument from the next aisle over cut through the stillness. Lucrezi…